High-altitude clouds can travel faster than 160 km/h, outspeeding many race cars.

High-altitude clouds, specifically cirrus clouds, typically form at altitudes above 20,000 feet (6,000 meters) where the air is extremely cold and thin. At these heights, they are frequently caught in the jet stream, which consists of narrow bands of strong wind in the upper levels of the atmosphere. These winds often reach speeds between 100 and 200 mph (160 to 320 km/h), though they have been recorded at over 275 mph (442 km/h) during extreme weather events.The reason these clouds appear to move slowly is due to a phenomenon called motion parallax. This is the same optical effect where distant mountains seem to stay still while nearby trees blur past a moving car window. Because the clouds are so far from the observer, their angular velocity is low, even though their linear velocity is incredibly high. This discrepancy often masks the true intensity of atmospheric movement from ground-based observers.Meteorologists use satellite imagery and high-altitude balloons to track these cloud movements to map the jet stream's path. Data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows that these wind speeds are critical for predicting the movement of storm systems and determining flight times for commercial aircraft. For example, a plane flying with a strong tailwind from the jet stream can arrive at its destination significantly faster than scheduled, while flying against it consumes much more fuel.